Many an academic, have tried to explain the offside rule to the normal layperson, but to no avail. In this post, I will attempt to clarify this, the biggest of all football enigmas.
Photo © Cleva Media/AMA
Firstly according to Fifa’s Law of The Game, the rules are defined as follows;
Offside position
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if:
- he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent
A player is not in an offside position if:
- he is in his own half of the field of play or
- he is level with the second-last opponent or
- he is level with the last two opponents
OFFENCE
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
- interfering with play or
- interfering with an opponent or
- gaining an advantage by being in that position
NO OFFENCE
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
- a goal kick
- a throw-in
- a corner kick
INFRINGEMENTS AND SANCTIONS
In the event of an offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement took place.
Ok, still confused? Can’t visualize the scene? Try this on for size.
You’re in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind the shop assistant on the till is a pair of shoes which you have seen and which you must have.
The shopper in front of you has seen them also and is eyeing them with desire. Neither of you have got enough money for them.
It would be rude to push in front of the shopper if you had no money to pay for the shoes. The shop assistant remains at the till waiting. Your friend is trying on another pair of shoes at the back of the shop and sees your dilemma. She prepares to throw her purse to you. If she does so, you can catch the purse, then walk round the other shopper and buy the shoes!
At a pinch she could throw the purse ahead of the other shopper and “whilst it is in flight” you could nip around the other shopper, catch the purse and buy the shoes!
*BUT*, you must always remember that until the purse has “actually been thrown”, it would be plain wrong for you to be in front of the other shopper which is tantamount to being OFFSIDE! Neither are you allowed to distract the shopper nor the shop assistant whilst your friend nips in to buy the shoes for you.
If you are still perplexed by this, the simplest of all explanations, then there is no hope for you.
I would love to wish all your teams’ good luck, remember the key is not the “will to win” – everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.
In summation, Peter Shilton (ex England goalkeeper ) once said “You’ve got to believe that you’re going to win, and I believe we’ll win the World Cup until the final whistle blows and we’re knocked out.”
Genius!
A dejected Peter Shilton after losing the World Cup 1990 semi-final. Photo © Cleva Media/Fotosports Int.
By Dj Kobbie
World Cup 2010 
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